Crematogaster Sp. Journal

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AntLove5Ever
Posts: 214
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 4:22 pm
Location: VA

Crematogaster Sp. Journal

Post: # 24339Post AntLove5Ever
Mon Jul 10, 2017 4:10 pm

I caught a Crematogaster queen on July 3rd, and she has finally laid eggs. I do not know what day, as I do not check on her very often, which is key to raising this genus during founding, they REALLY hate disturbances. Once a week is about the maximum time I would check on her, better once every 12 to 10 days. But like I said, she has laid eggs, and not just a few, this ant is an egg laying MACHINE. She can not have laid less than 15 eggs in like, 2 days (I couldn't help but take a peek, I was moving her tube anyways, so it would be just as much of a disturbance.) Because when I moved her tube to my new rack (pics coming soon) she had no eggs. I have heard that this genus has RAPID growth, and I am quite excited, as I have wanted a crematogaster colony since I started antkeeping. More updates as I can!


PS. There will be pictures and videos coming soon, whenever my macro lens arrives, but I am going out of town for 12 days soon, so there will be no updates on any of my journals in that time.

AntLove5Ever
Posts: 214
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 4:22 pm
Location: VA

Re: Crematogaster Sp. Journal

Post: # 24639Post AntLove5Ever
Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:16 pm

I have a picture of my Crematogaster sp. egg pile. It has at least doubled since I last checked on her. - 7/14/17 (11 days after capture)

Image

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FarrAnts
Posts: 259
Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2017 11:20 am
Location: Minot Air Force Base North Dakota

Re: Crematogaster Sp. Journal

Post: # 24641Post FarrAnts
Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:25 pm

Nice! I'm so hoping to find creamatogaster queens this summer.
Ball is life... Ants included.

AntLove5Ever
Posts: 214
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 4:22 pm
Location: VA

Re: Crematogaster Sp. Journal

Post: # 24642Post AntLove5Ever
Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:49 pm

FarrAnts wrote:
Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:25 pm
Nice! I'm so hoping to find creamatogaster queens this summer.
It's funny, I was not queen hunting, hell I didn't even have any test tubes or containers. I was in the pool, and she had stranded herself on a floating pool toy. I brushed against the floating thing and she crawled onto me, I got out and had to run inside, and she lived in a plastic bag for like an hour, until I got her into a test tube.

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FarrAnts
Posts: 259
Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2017 11:20 am
Location: Minot Air Force Base North Dakota

Re: Crematogaster Sp. Journal

Post: # 24645Post FarrAnts
Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:53 pm

AntLove5Ever wrote:
Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:49 pm
FarrAnts wrote:
Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:25 pm
Nice! I'm so hoping to find creamatogaster queens this summer.
It's funny, I was not queen hunting, hell I didn't even have any test tubes or containers. I was in the pool, and she had stranded herself on a floating pool toy. I brushed against the floating thing and she crawled onto me, I got out and had to run inside, and she lived in a plastic bag for like an hour, until I got her into a test tube.
Lol, that's crazy! I found one queen floating around in the pool while I was lifeguarding, so I snagged it on the way back to our main office, it was a formica I think. Edit: Oh yeah, and since I was lacking a container I had it in my lifeguard fanny pack the entire time, the pack that has a ressistaion mask lol.
Ball is life... Ants included.

AntLove5Ever
Posts: 214
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 4:22 pm
Location: VA

Re: Crematogaster Sp. Journal

Post: # 27367Post AntLove5Ever
Sat Jul 29, 2017 2:22 pm

Not much is new. I see wat appear to be tiny larvae, or soon to be larvae, here is a pic.

Image

She appears to have eaten some eggs, but I hear that is normal with this species, as they lay eggs, and realize they don't have the stores to feed all 30 of the larvae that will come soon.

AntLove5Ever
Posts: 214
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 4:22 pm
Location: VA

Re: Crematogaster Sp. Journal

Post: # 27904Post AntLove5Ever
Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:27 pm

8/3/17 - I have begun heating her and her brood. I have a heating mat, and she has taken a liking to the warmth. She moved her brood onto the heat. It was rather immediate too! I believe we are looking at workers in 2 weeks or so. Currently she has a large egg pile and a few larvae that are decently far in their development. No pupae yet.

AntLove5Ever
Posts: 214
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 4:22 pm
Location: VA

Re: Crematogaster Sp. Journal

Post: # 28337Post AntLove5Ever
Mon Aug 07, 2017 7:14 pm

8/7/17 - We have reached many pupae. I believe I will get workers within a week. The growth of Crematogaster is quite fast, especially when heated. The brood pile is extremely impressive especially since I don't even have nanitics yet. I counted around 44 brood. In under a month. Image Image Image

xTNxANTMANx
Posts: 416
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 9:03 am
Location: Western Tennessee

Re: Crematogaster Sp. Journal

Post: # 28539Post xTNxANTMANx
Wed Aug 09, 2017 12:12 pm

Nice, the first Crematogaster I caught already got her first notice but then I gave her to a friend. I have a 2nd as well that should be getting her first anytime. I also have a colony of like...id say around 150-200 workers now lol. And yes, they love the heat. I have a heat cable run thru the nest and they always keep the brood very close if not on the wall.
Keeping:
Camponotus subbarbatus
Formica pallidefulva x2
Formica subsericea x4
Lasius sp
Tetramorium immigrans x2
Dorymyrmex bureni

Founding:
Formica pallidefulva
Unknown sp x2

AntLove5Ever
Posts: 214
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 4:22 pm
Location: VA

Re: Crematogaster Sp. Journal

Post: # 28872Post AntLove5Ever
Sat Aug 12, 2017 10:47 pm

We have dark pupae! I am so excited for those nanitics to arrive!

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